Glow worm Fuelsaver 50B boiler. Pilot light problem

stephentanner · 5 Aug 2010

Hi

I don't know if anyone can help me?

I have an old boiler, it is a Glow worm Fuelsaver UFB 50B model. It is on the kitchen wall with a flue straight out horizontally from it.

2 days ago, the pilot light went out and would not re-light, so I have no hot water or heating, only hot water now with the immersion.

I asked a local retired engineer to help me and he was for an hour or so, kindly checking it. He said the thermocopule looked ok, but replaced it to double check, and still no joy.

He told me the pilot burner/flame was ok and was heating the thermocouple. Also the overheat interupter device on the boiler, was ok and not at fault.

After checking all these (without the boiler manual as I could not find it)

he said the only other thing he could think of was the gas valve to be faulty (solenoid inside), but they cost about £100.

Anyway, he told me to think about it, but if I wanted him to replace the gas valve, he would, but he couldn't guarantee it'd work still, but was 90% sure it would.

I'd just like some advice to see whether I should go ahead with it. Is there anything else it could have been? I know without the manual it was hard for him to be 100% sure what the fault exactly is, and £100 is a lot of money for a part that may not be the cause.

Is it possible for me to get hold of a boiler manual for my boiler (download it possibly)? so I can let him have it?

Thanks for helping all.

kevplumb · 5 Aug 2010

if your RGI has checked the tc and the interrupter the only thing left is the gas valve

stephentanner · 5 Aug 2010

Ok thanks for your help. I'll have to get it changed then. He said it'd be fiddly and £100 approx for the gas valve, but will have to pay out

45yearsagasman · 5 Aug 2010

This is a very simple boiler and the gas valve rarely fails.Tell him to check the overheat stat in and out of the circuit these are prone to a high resistance and can reduce the millivolts to the gas valve.If he is experienced there is no need for a manual on this boiler.

stephentanner · 5 Aug 2010

Thanks for helping I will ask him this afternoon when i see him next.

I remember he said he tested it with a meter (I heard a little buzz noise)! I don't know if that was good but he said he removed the interupter and the pilot still wouldn't stay lit

jackecole · 5 Aug 2010

if the interrupter was faulty, when the engineer tested the thermocouple (bypassed the interrupter) without it, the pilot should have stayed on.

Agile · 5 Aug 2010

There are three comments that I would make about this:-

He is not gas safe registered and should not be doing gas work.

He does not seem to know how to use a test meter to check the system.

The test required does not result in the meter buzzing!

I would expect to identify the fault within ten minutes and I cannot imagine what he was doing for a whole hour ( except taking longer because he thought that you would pay him more ).

Nor would I even replace a part at YOUR cost if I "was not sure" that it would fix the problem.

My advice is to get someone who is registered, knows what they are doing and operates on a no-fix no-fee basis.

Tony

stephentanner · 6 Aug 2010

Have just had a new gasvalve fitted and the boiler works fine again

Agile: having read your post I spoke to my engineer and told him what you said. He said he DID check the overheat thermistor interrupter by removing it from the circuit and testing the thermocouple without it, and still the pilot did not hold. He got hold of the boiler manual and replaced the gas valve this afternoon. He did not charge me more for taking longer, he said the thermocouple lead and nut went right round the back of the boiler and was fiddly to remove. lso, my boiler being in a tight space wasn't easy access. He did a safety check, tested, in his words: tightness, flame supervision, case seals with smoke pen. checked flue, working pressure, gas rate and used an anayalyser to checuh combusion level from the flue terminal and carbon monoxide in room level. In total the labour was just £110 which I am happy with.

kevplumb · 6 Aug 2010

agile said:
He is not gas safe registered and should not be doing gas work.

suddenly lose your marbles at 60 then do you

Have just had a new gasvalve fitted and the boiler works fine again icon_smile.gif

good

stephentanner · 6 Aug 2010

kevplumb - thanks for your comments

Why is this Agile so bitter sounding?! My engineer is a lovely bloke, did me a good job and gets abuse from him!!

I think he did what jackecole said a few posts ago, bypassed the interrupter and tested the thermocouple and still no good, but Agile has a pop! lol.

Anyway all is good now, I learned a little, not that I get it but thanks for all your help on here

Agile · 7 Aug 2010

I am not "bitter sounding", just concerned about illegal gas work.

Your bloke seems to have done all the right things now that you have given us further information.

However, you said that he is "retired" and that means he is "not working".

If he is "not working" then he is not going to continue to pay to be gas registered or for public liability insurance.

All people doing gas work are required by law to be gas registered!

We have to pay every year to renew our registration and every five years we have to spend a week and pay to retake our gas work assessments.

Not only does your bloke work illegally, save money on registration and insurance but I would have repaired your boiler for a labour charge of about 25% less that he charged you even though I have to pay for registration etc.

Tony

namsag · 7 Aug 2010

Big speech about being legal and registered yet again Agile .
Would you like to post a picture of your last ACS cert and the one you claim to have passed last August . We all have them
Or will you ignore it yet again and show yourself up as a two faced lying feker.
Dare you ........ You have had long enough to prepare a fake. .come on prove me wrong or carry out your threat of court action

kevplumb · 7 Aug 2010

NAMSAG
you are awfull to god at times

nickso · 7 Aug 2010

wheres that tumbleweed smiley?

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Glow worm Fuelsaver 50B boiler. Pilot light problem

namsag

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